by Aliyah Burke
“Oh God, Kaeden!” While still a whisper, it slammed into him the same as if she’d just screamed his name at the top of her lungs. She came and pulled him with her.
His cock shot jets of his seed and he thrust deep, holding there and shook with the force of his release. Her grip on him didn’t lessen and without giving a damn about sound, he found the last of his strength to push up and get on the bed with her.
“You can’t fall asleep here, Kaeden.”
The hell he couldn’t. There was no more energy. He kissed her and grunted.
“Just a few minutes.”
He slid a hand between them and cupped her sex, kissed the spot on her body where her shoulder and neck met, then sighed.
Fucking perfect.
Chapter Thirteen
Faye stirred, opened her eyes, and screamed. Her father and brother lingered in the doorway. Sitting up, clutching the blanket to her chest, she blinked rapidly in hopes this nightmare would just vanish.
“What the hell are you both doing, lurking there?”
“I heard noises last night. Figured you tried to sneak that boy in here.”
That boy. As if he didn’t view that very boy as a second son. Guess things changed when it came to his daughter’s virtue. Not that Kaeden had been the one to take it initially, but she sure as hell didn’t have one since that man tore her apart.
Shit. Kaeden.
The last thing she remembered was telling him not to go to sleep. Right before she passed out after that incredible bout of sex.
“Do you see him here?”
Please say no.
Her father snorted and stepped in and yanked open her closet door. Then he and Mitchell gestured for her to get off the bed. Fingers digging into the blanket, she stumbled from the bed and tried to look so much more ferocious than she did. It wasn’t hard to tell she didn’t frighten them. Hell, she barely came to Mitchell’s chest, and he was smaller than their father.
So, what was a woman to do in this situation.
“Mom!”
Both men stared at her in shock and betrayal.
What the hell? They were the ones who’d burst in here.
Her mom stepped into the room and frowned at the males in there. She didn’t have to say a word, just snapped her fingers and pointed into the hallway.
Eric, her father, tried to explain. “She’s my baby girl and I have to make sure, he wasn’t taking advantage of her.”
“We’re not discussing this right now, Eric. You and your son get out of your daughter’s room. I know he’s not here because he’s downstairs sitting at my breakfast table like a gentleman waiting for his girlfriend to join him.” She glared at her two men. “Get!”
Beverly Reynolds could make a mountain move if she wanted. Her husband and son scooted from the room without a word. Faye didn’t move, because, she grew up under this roof and knew it wasn’t over yet.
Her mother turned back to her and waggled a finger in her direction. “You have five minutes to get downstairs. Oh, and make sure you cover up that hickey on your neck that I know wasn’t there last night when you went to bed.”
The moment she was alone, Faye sank to the floor, limbs shaking as all the air leaked out of her. My mother knows that Kaeden was here last night. But she didn’t tell my father. I still don’t know how or when he snuck out. I’m just lucky I put a shirt on to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
A shirt that didn’t belong to her at all but was the sleeveless one that Kaeden had shown up in last night. Her body heated at the memory of his kisses and touches.
Aware her mom didn’t play, she rushed through getting ready and braided her hair, so it hung over her shoulder effectively hiding the mark on her neck. Then she walked downstairs.
The rich smells of eggs, biscuits, bacon, and potatoes filled the air and she bit back a moan of anticipation. She wasn’t going to deny her hunger. Stepping into the modern farmhouse style black and white kitchen, she found her gaze on Kaeden right away.
His shorts were the ones he’d worn last night but his shirt was a team one that had his number on the back. Like he sensed her arrival, he broke off chatting with her father and smiled, pushing away from the table. Kaeden’s gaze never left her as he neared.
He winked at her and dipped his head to brush their lips together even as he tugged on the end of her braid. “Morning, sleepyhead.”
“Freaking morning people,” she groused, patting him on the stomach as she walked to one of the vacant seats and claiming it. He was right behind her, pushing in her seat then claiming a chair beside her.
He touched her constantly during breakfast and volunteered them to clean up. Not ever having been a morning person, she was still grouchy when they finished washing dishes. Kaeden popped her in the ass with a towel and she snarled at him when she turned.
“You haven’t gotten out of this not being a morning person, have you, Faye?”
She glared at him, looked around to make sure they were alone then stepped closer and poked a finger into his chest. “It’s not like you gave me a lot of time to sleep, you know. Then I wake with both my father and brother looking down at me, like I had you hiding in there.”
“Yeah, I heard them coming and was on the roof when that happened.” He stole a kiss. “Sorry.” Kaeden moved closer and put his mouth by her ear. “I didn’t hear you complaining about me keeping you awake last night.”
Damn him.
“Smug bastard.”
“But I’m your smug bastard.”
For now.
They finished up and went their separate ways. He and Mitchell had some things to do and she was going to help her mother around the house, then head over to Kaeden’s and help his mom.
So much for a vacation.
That night the big dinner was over at Kaeden’s house. As with the previous night, it was full of laugher, and wonderful memories. It was more of a late afternoon gathering and there were games and neighbors who stopped by to see the professional football players from their hometown.
As Mitchell and Kaeden posed for photos with some of their fans and childhood friends, she sat on the Archer’s porch, an icy sweet tea in hand.
“You okay, dear?”
“Yes ma’am.”
The answer slid from her mouth even before she realized it was Mrs. Archer who walked up beside her. Kaeden’s mother joined her on the bench. Like many houses around here, there was a full veranda surrounding the house. Different chairs and swings all over. Personally, she loved this padded bench. She’d never been one for a rocking type of chair. Wouldn’t use a recliner to save her life, hating her feet off the floor like that.
Ms. Sandy gave a typical Southern “uh huh” and stretched her legs out before her for mere seconds before they were tucked nicely so no one would have to step over them.
“What’s going on, sweetie? What did my son do? Tell me and I’ll box his ears.”
Faye laughed and hugged her. “I love you, Ms. Sandy.”
“We love you too, sugarbear. None of which tells me what is going on with you.”
“Just a bit preoccupied.”
A beat of silence. “You’re about to graduate with your Masters.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“And my son is dragging you all around while you should be focusing on that?”
That was one way to put it. She pasted a smile on her face and angled to face Kaeden’s mom.
“It’s okay. We want to make sure his image has cleaned up.” A shrug. “Looks like that has.”
“His future isn’t more important that yours, sugarbear. Don’t think otherwise.”
“I’m not, just doing what I can for him. This is their last free weekend until their bye week, so they wanted to come here. Not that I didn’t.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “You had a bunch of other things you could be doing.”
“They’ll keep until I’m back.” She shrugged. “Sometimes it’s just nice to come home.”
She noticed everything. His smile. The women who he had dated in school coming up to him and flirting as if his fake girlfriend wasn’t around. None of it mattered, no matter how ugly the jealousy she had chewed.
It’s fake and will most likely be over soon.
Games were set up and more people poured into the yard. With a brush of a kiss on her forehead, Kaeden’s mom left her to go play hostess.
Ready to go mingle a bit more, she looked to her left in shock as Mitchell walks toward her, a plate in hand with a piece of red velvet cake and a fork. Without a word, he held it to her and she accepted, doing her best not to lick her lips and shove her face into it.
After he sat on the swing beside her, he held it back to him and he shook his head.
“I brought it for you.”
“What do you want?”
A tiny spear of shame hit her when she witnessed the pain in his expression. Just a tiny one.
“I miss my sister.”
“Mom or Dad put you up to this?”
“Fuck,” he bit off only to look around to make sure he hadn’t been overheard. “I’m sorry, Faye. Okay. No one put me up to anything. I’m just sorry. I miss you.”
Getting up, she walked to sit beside him on the swing. “I miss you too, asshole.”
He side hugged her then snatched the cake from her and licked it like she’d wanted to do but had held off. Decorum and all that crap.
“Mine now.”
“You’re such an ass.” She got up and waited for him to look up at her, a smirk in place. She smacked his hand, launching the cake directly into his face.
Then she ran.
Kaeden brushed off Catherine’s hand once more. She didn’t get the hint and each touch came all the closer to his cock. That wasn’t what he wanted. His mood had traveled south, he couldn’t get Faye alone, he’d snapped at people talking shit about her and had seen a bunch more on social media.
If she knew, she still didn’t let her expression give it away. However, while he was searching, he came across a photo of her and Trevor recently on social media and that plunged him into a deeper hell pit.
Walking away from the ladies who were being grabby, he then jogged into the Reynolds’ yard and inside having caught her heading in there. Kaeden tracked her down in the laundry room to find her in the freezer chest, pulling out more bags of ice.
“There you are.”
She peered at him over her shoulder. “Didn’t know I was missing.”
“You weren’t with me, saving me from all the women.”
Her lips flattened before she shrugged. “Sorry. Didn’t know that was suddenly part of my job description.”
“I saw a photo of you and Trevor on social media. When did that get taken?”
She had two more in her hand as she closed the top of the freezer. “What photo?”
He pulled out his phone and showed her, despising the small smile she got as she looked at it. Like that man meant something to her.
“What the fuck is going on between you two?”
His question fell on a low growl, and she opened her eyes to answer before she just shook her head. She slammed the two bags into his chest then grabbed the others as she headed back outside.
Juggling the items, he followed her and put a smile on his face when his mother put her concerned gaze between the two of them.
I fucked up.
Casing the crowd, he found her on the outskirts, much like when they’d been in school. She didn’t do the parties like he and Mitchell had back then. Or now, apparently. Brushing off some questions, he moved toward her when she stepped back and put her phone up to her ear. He gave her a bit of space to talk on the phone but when she comes back into view, her expression is shuttered in a way nothing else could do. The call.
It wasn’t until late that he was able to track her down and corner her so she couldn’t run from him.
“What’s going on?” He put a hand up on the tree trunk beside her.
“Nothing.” Short. Clipped. Not at all Faye.
“Not buying it, babe. What’s going on?”
“Let it go, Kaeden. Go back to your hordes of women and leave me alone.” With that, she ducked under his arm and hurried off.
Mitchell looked at him when he made to follow her, so he stopped.
While they played for the family and the town, Kaeden knew there was something wrong between them the rest of their weekend home and the flight back. She distanced herself as much as she could. Even so, she made Lannie proud by playing the doting girlfriend when it was needed.
He tried to call her the following day, but it went straight to her voicemail. He swore and shoved the phone in his bag. Kaeden missed seeing her, smelling that scent that hovered around her all the fucking time, and enjoying her curves pressed against him.
“HP.”
Pivoting on his heels, he spied Luke, the backup quarterback, strolling up. The man had a perpetual grin on his face.
“Sup, man?” He zipped his bag closed and hefted the strap over one shoulder while he waited.
“Just wanted to say thanks. I know your girlfriend has a lot on her plate right now, but it means the world to Michelle that she was able to spend the day with her and pick her brain.”
What the fuck is he talking about?
“My girl’s all about giving.” Except me and the time of day.
“I see that. Anyway, I don’t know her well but wanted to let you know how much I appreciate it. I’d do anything for my wife and when I couldn’t help her with this, felt a bit like a failure. But, Faye is amazing.” Luke grinned and walked off, a jaunty whistle on his lips.
What are you doing, Faye?
He wanted to see her. Now.
Kaeden picked up his phone and pressed Faye’s number as he made his way across the parking lot to his SUV. It rang two times before she picked up.
“What?”
Okay, he wasn’t a genius but that didn’t sound like a woman happy to speak to her boyfriend. The one she couldn’t wait to be around. He scowled.
“Where are you?”
Pressing the fob in his hand, he unlocked his car three steps away.
“There’s nothing on our schedule so my whereabouts are of no concern to you.” There was noise in the background then a door slammed. “Anything else?”
“Yes.”
He opened the door then got behind the wheel.
“I don’t have all day, tell me what your issue is in the next five seconds or I’m hanging up.”
He watched himself in the rearview as he snarled. “You’ve been a fucking bear since the party at home. Gave me the fucking cold shoulder on the flight and since we’ve been back. A face to face is happening. My place or yours.”
The sound pushed through the phone sounded a lot like a gurgle of threatening verbiage then the low monotonous continuous beep of the dial tone.
He stared at his phone and shook his head.
You did not just hang up on me, Faye.
Kaeden started his car and drove past her shop and onto her place when he didn’t see her at the bookstore. He parked crooked outside her place, his SUV blocking her car in. Breathing a bit easier seeing her car there, he killed the engine and tugged on the edge of his knit cap. Getting out, Kaeden then kicked the door closed behind him.
Unlocking the door, he pushed it in and entered her home. The low sounds of R&B hit his ears as he closed the door behind him.
There was a strong scent of vanilla and a lighter one of jasmine mixed in floating in the air. Seduction.
Jealousy slammed into him harder than he’d been hit on the field.
Light laughter trickled to him, taunting him. Clenching a fist, he stormed though her place to her room and forced himself to stop before kicking in the door.
A low moan that reminded him all too much like the sounds Faye made when he stroked her deep, making that back arch, mouth falling open with a wordless gasp. Right before she would cry his name as her nails ripped into him.
He couldn’t let that go and flung open her bedroom door, ready to rip some shit apart. Instead, he froze, unable to move away from the view meeting him. Faye was bent over her bed; the back of her skirt had inched up tempting him to just drop to his knees behind her and allow himself to indulge.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
She didn’t jump. If that was a good thing or not, he wasn’t sure.
“I was making my bed and, you know what, never mind. I don’t have time to talk to you. I’m heading out as soon as I finish here.’
“What’s with all the sex smells and music?” He stalked to her but regardless of the anger in his steps, he was infinitely gentle helping her back on her feet. And holy god help him. His brain was short circuiting as he stared down at the woman there.
The low cut of her top allowed him to see the curves of her breasts. He already knew the skirt drove his mind down the road of sex, music on full blast. She smelled fucking delicious and he wanted to take a million bites just to get the edge off.
Her lips firmed. “I like the music and this is how my house smells when I have my day of cleaning. I don’t have time to talk to you, I have an appointment.”
He shook his head. “I told you, we have to talk.”
“And I told you, you had time then. I don’t have it now and I’m not indulging your need to control my time like it’s yours.” She walked out of the bedroom, and he followed.
His eyes remained riveted to her ass when she paused to slip on some shoes with heels that made him once again—not that he’d stopped—think about fucking her, hard and fast. Right then.
When she reached for the door, he crossed his arms and smirked. “I’ve parked behind you. You’re not leaving until we have this discussion about your attitude.”
Her gaze was arctic when she leveled it in his direction. Then she walked out the door closing it behind her. When she didn’t come back in the following minute, he strode to the door and yanked it open.